Echoes of the Past
by gregesposito961
Summary: Gerudo-Hylian tensions are at an all time high. The Royal Family promotes Hylian superiority and the Gerudo ready thenselves for War. Piper is caught in the middle and must decide where her loyalties lie. Her friends? Or her people?
1. Prologue

"Come on Piper keep up."

Piper trailed behind her father as he led her through a small village just outside the Ordon Pass in Hyrule. Piper had never been outside of Ordon, but now that she was ten years old, her father, Ponthos decided it was time for her to see more of the world, with his supervision of course. Granted it was dangerous. Ordon had just declared independence from Hyrule, and the civil war deciding this new fact had just come to an end. Ordonians weren't very welcome in Hyrule anymore, but Ponthos had known the owner of the inn thy were going to. Ponthos and Ethereal, the inn owner, went way back to their childhood, and he knew he was always welcome.

There was another problem too. Piper herself. She was feisty and loud. She didn't make friends very easily, but the biggest danger to her safety was something she couldn't even help. Her bright red hair hung loose around her eyes as she jogged to keep up with her father's long strides. She looked around, eyes wide with wonder at the brand-new place her father had taken her. She stared at the new breeds of cows that were being herded along the side of the street to the slaughterhouse. She saw the old library and the giant statue in the middle of the square of a young man with a sword and shield in his hands.

His face was stoic and handsome, but that's not what impressed Piper. What impressed her most was who he was. A great hero famous for defeating evil. Her mother told her stories of when he was alive, and the great feats he accomplished. It was those stories that made her want to be a hero too. And now she was seeing his statue in person!

But her star struck ogling was cut short when a man bumped into her as he walked by.

"Hey watch yourself mister! That's pretty rude you know!" She complained, turning to him.

"Piper don't-" Her father began, but the stranger cut him off.

"You've got a pretty big mouth on you for Gerudo scum, little girl." The man sneered, approaching the two of them. Ponthos stepped between the stranger and his daughter to protect her. "She with you?"

"She's my daughter. She's just a kid so just give her a break and well be on our way. We don't want any trouble."

The man thought for a moment, giving Piper the stink eye.

"Whatever. Just keep your animal on a leash and stay out of the way, understand?"

"You think I'm an animal! Ill show you an animal!" Piper shouted balling her fists but was subsequently slapped in the back of her head by her father who took her by the arm and pulled her away just as the man was about to turn around again. Piper struggled against her father's grip but eventually stopped when she realized she couldn't break free.

"For Farore's sake Piper calm down!" Ponthos whispered angrily. It took several minutes to calm his daughter down enough to talk to her level headedly. "I told you to keep your mouth shut while we were here in town, didn't I? Your mother didn't want me taking you with me today because she was afraid you weren't ready. Do we have to go back home and tell her she was right?"

Piper just crossed her arms in defiance, looking down at the ground, and didn't answer. Her father sighed and stood up.

"Were at the inn. Our friend Ethereal is waiting for us. We have some business to attend to and then well be on our way back home. If you can behave yourself while were in here, ill buy you some frozen treats from the sweet shop back in Ordon Village, deal?"

Her eyes lit up when she heard this, and her defiant look turned to a smile. She nodded and took her fathers hand and they walked into the inn.

"Ponthos! Its about time you made it!" shouted a man from behind the counter of the bar. "Glad to see you made it in one piece! And oh my, this must be the famous Piper I've heard so much about huh? You look tough as nails! I feel bad for anyone who messes with you."

She smiled wide and bobbed her head up and down, happy with the attention she was getting.

"Piper this is Ethereal, our friend. Say hello."

"Hi mister!" Piper beamed, eagerly awaiting more compliments.

"Me and Mr. Ethereal have some business to take care of remember? I'm going to head to the back really quickly and be right back. Be a good girl and wait right here on this stool okay? Remember the deal we made outside? Don't move from here. Understand?"

Piper nodded and hopped up onto the stool and sat facing the bar. In front of her was a wooden cup with some purple liquid inside. She took a sip and spat it out in disgust. It tasted like grapes, and she hated grapes! She slid the cup away and her father and Mr. Ethereal headed into the back room behind the counter while she swung her feet back and forth, humming to herself and imagining which treat she would pick out on the way home.

Then she heard the door open and the bell ring. She turned to see who came in and her heart skipped a beat when she saw that it was the same man from earlier. She quickly turned around, not because she was scared, but because seeing his face made her furious. She wanted to go yell at him some more, but she remembered the deal she made with her father. She had to prove that she was ready to be out in the world too.

Several minutes passed and things went without incident. The man sat down with several friends and had some drinks, saying crude things and smacking the waitress on the rear as she left. Pipers cheeks flushed with anger, but she restrained herself. But the final straw came when she heard some snickering from the table. She looked over to see the group of men looking at her, grinning and laughing to themselves. She turned back to ignore them when she felt a wet object strike the side of her face. She pulled back in surprise and swatted the wet object away in a panic. She looked to see a wadded-up spit ball fired from the stranger's slimy mouth.

She looked at him in disbelief as his laugh boomed throughout the tavern. He got up to leave after finishing his drink, not bothering to pay of course. But Piper had had it. She wasn't going to stand for that! She hopped down from her stool and followed the man outside and across the street, passing by several pedestrians who gave her dirty looks or mumbled something about her red hair. She finally followed him into an alley between two tall buildings and punched him as hard as she could in the back. She punched so hard that she pushed herself backwards and fell to the ground.

The man turned to her, more annoyed then anything, the grinned when he saw her.

"Well well, the little beast is back huh? Look around you little one. Your daddy isn't here to protect you now. Its just you and me." He smiled devilishly, taking a step towards her. Piper returned to her feet and rushed at him, eager to land some more blows, but the man simply stuck out his arm and held her back. Her short arms couldn't reach their mark no matter how much she struggled. Then the man picked her up by the collar and slammed her against the wall.

"You know, some people think its pretty low to beat a helpless little kid. But for Gerudo scum like you girl, I don't think anyone will make too much of a fuss." He balled his fist and slammed it into Pipers cheek. He did it twice more before she was able to kick high enough to strike him in the face and loosen his grip enough for her to wiggle free. She tried to flee from the alley, but he quickly caught up to her, kicking her feet and sending her tumbling to the ground once more.

The man loomed over her with balled fists, ready to continue his work, when suddenly he let out a loud yelp, reaching behind his back. He stumbled to the wall to support himself, and as he turned to see his attacker, Piper could see a knife lodged in his lower back, blood dripping from the wound. Behind him stood a boy no older then Piper. He had a close shaved head and wore a red tunic. She had never seen him before, but he had several bruises along his face and arms. He held another knife in his hand and sliced the strange mans hand as he tried to grab him. The man stumbled out the alley, threatening to return with his friends.

The boy approached her cautiously but extended his hand to help her up. She accepted and got a closer look at him. His eyes were bloodshot like he had been crying.

"Thanks. Why are you eyes red. You been crying?" She asked.

"What? No! Crying is for babies!" The boy replied blushing immensely, embarrassed.

"You stabbed that guy. Why?"

"I dunno. You looked like you were in trouble and I keep these knives with me all the time to protect myself. I'm hiding from my dad right now, so don't tell anyone I'm here okay?"

Piper nodded in reply, not knowing what else to say.

"Hey, you're a Gerudo aren't you?" The boy asked.

"My mother is Gerudo. But I'm from Ordon. Me and my father-"

"You're from Ordon!?" The boy interrupted. Piper nodded, pleased this strange boy was being so nice to her. "My brother lives in Ordon too! Can you take me with you when you go back there please?"

Piper looked at him confused. "Why would we take you back with us I don't even know you?"

"My names Toren and I just saved your life. So, will you take me back now?"

"Hm, I guess technically I know you now. Sure, Toren lets go back and ask my father. I'm sure he'll say yes."

Toren smiled wide and grabbed her by the hand, leading her out of the alley when they heard Ponthos' voice from behind them.

"Piper where have you been! What happened! Explain yourself to me this instant!" He yelled, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"This is Toren and he saved my life. Can he come back to Ordon with us?" She asked, ignoring his question.

"Piper I… what? What are you talking about that doesn't make any sense?"

She put her arm over Toren's shoulder, who did the same to her.

"Wanna be friends?" She asked him.

"Yeah!"

"See, were friends now. And I'm not going anywhere unless he comes with us." She said boldly.

Ponthos looked back and forth between the children, confused. Maybe it was just how old he was, but he never remembered being so weird at their age.

"Piper I can't just kidnap this boy. That's against the law and we could get in serious trouble."

"Oh, you aren't kidnapping me mister!" Toren spoke up. "My brother lives in Ordon just outside Ordon Village, on a small farm with his wife. That's where I'm headed and since you guys are headed there anyway, I figured you could help me get there."

Ponthos just looked even more lost. But he took a look at Toren's face and saw the scars and bruises.

"Your father?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at the boy.

"And mother." Toren said sadly, looking down at the ground.

Ponthos sighed, then stood up.

"I'm not going to take you home with us Toren. But out cart is over there by the back of the Inn. There are a lot of bags in the back. You definitely shouldn't hurry over there while my back is turned, and you most definitely should not hide in the back behind the large blue bag."

Ponthos turned around and started intently at something off in the distance. Behind him he heard excited whispers of the two children trying to be quiet as they rushed over to the cart, and the thumps of their failed attempts to climb in. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself and at the insanity of the situation. Why did children have to be so odd?

He returned to his cart and hooked it up to their family horse. He climbed on and looked behind him to see Toren's feet sticking out the side, as well as Pipers, who apparently felt the need to hide poorly as well. He rolled his eyes but smiled.

"At least she made a friend." He chuckled to himself. He would have a tough time explaining to the wife why he was brining home an extra child with him. But if it made Piper happy and helped out this poor boy, then he would deal with the aftermath as necessary. All things considered, the trip had been successful, and Piper didn't have to deal with as much discrimination as he had thought. A good first trip to ease her into things.

It wouldn't be until later that Ponthos would learn what had happened in the alley. But by then it was too late, and a new chapter of their lives had already begun.

 **End of Prologue**


	2. Chapter 1 - Eight Years Later

"Wake up Piper!" Ponthos knocked loudly on her bedroom door. Pipers eyes barely peaked open as her father continued to knock on the door. She groaned and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Piper! I said wa-"

"I'm up I'm up! Geez. Give me a minute!" She shouted through the door. Every morning was the same routine. She sat on the edge of her bed gathering her strength for the day. She sighed heavily and stretched her legs before standing up and throwing her clothes on. She pulled her hair back in its usual ponytail and headed out the door.

Her mother, Kishava, was preparing breakfast while her father helped. They always made breakfast as a team, since neither of them really liked the others cooking so they decided to combine their recipes to create strange Ordonian-Gerudo hybrid meals. And Piper had to admit, the combination was stellar. After tasting her parents cooking, it seemed almost impossible to eat anywhere besides home. The local taverns and food stands just didn't measure up.

"Good morning sweetie. Are you going to eat before you head out? We fixed you a plate." Her mother asked, sliding a plate across the dinner table.

"Yeah, but I'm not gonna stay long. I'm going to go ahead and knock out my chores, so I can go see Toren later."

"What do you two have planned today?" Her father asked, raising an eyebrow at her, taking a quick break in his cooking.

"I dunno yet" Piper replied, mouth already stuffed with food.

"Well whatever you decide to do, make sure you're home at sundown. We can't skip our lesson for today." Kishava chimed in.

Pipers eyes perked up. Throughout the mundane routine of farming and herding every single day, her lessons about her Gerudo heritage with her mother were one of the things she looked forward to. The culture, fashion, and lifestyle of the Gerudo were astounding and interesting to her, and she always looked forward to learning more when her mother obliged her. She finished scarfing down the rest of her food and rushed out the door, mumbling a goodbye to her parents through a mouthful of food.

She hopped onto her horse and trotted down the short dirt road leading to their farm. They lived pretty far out in the middle of nowhere, so there was hardly ever anyone around. When she was younger she never understood why, but after that day in Ethereals Tavern, her father sat her down and told her the whole story. About how Gerudo weren't held in very high esteem to Hylians. As a result, he and her mother moved to Ordon after the Ordonian-Hylian War, to live a life of peace and seclusion. They told her it was for her own safety that they stay here, but Piper was never that satisfied with living on a farm all her life. It was boring, and they did the same thing every day. She wanted something fresh and exciting. She wanted adventure. And that's where Toren came in.

Ever since she convinced her father to bring Toren back with them, he had been her way of escaping the boring and mundane. Toren lived with his brother and sister-in-law, and as it so happened, they lived closest far from Pipers farm. Granted that was still miles away, but they were closer than anyone else. As a result, whenever they had free time they would spend their days together, getting into trouble and exploring the wilderness, forests, and caves. She always had her best times with him. They were best friends, and she knew she could always count on him to be there for her or get her out of trouble.

Before she knew it, she was already at her family's farm. It was her job to do the simple things like feed the chickens and collect eggs. Once she was done with that she could milk the cows of they were getting too plump and bring the milk back to the house. As smelly and hot as this sort of work was, she preferred it to working in the field. Her parents took care of that part, carefully tending to the field and the crops. Working with animals was her forte, so they let her handle that side of things.

Once she was done with the cows, she remounted her steed and headed to the goat fields. Ordon goats were a valuable recourse, since they could of course only be found in Ordon. In this kingdom, they were common place, but set foot into Hyrule and people were clamoring over each other to get Ordon Goat Cheese, Ordon Milk, or pretty much anything with the word Ordon in front of it. She even did an experiment one day and told her father to bring a regular loaf of bread with him on one of his trips to the market just outside of Ordon and call it Ordon Bread. As predicted, her sold out almost immediately.

She did a quick headcount of the goats, 25 in all, and checked the fence along the border of the farm. If a goat had gotten in or it looked like someone tried to tear down their fence, it was her job to not only fix it, but inform her father about the trespassers. Fortunately, the fence was intact and there was nothing out of the ordinary. Now all she had left to do was feed the horses and her jobs would be done for the day.

Now that her chores were complete, it was just past noon. She was impressed with herself. She was getting faster at this, which meant more time with Toren. Since her parents already knew she was heading there today, she hopped on her horse and headed towards his house.

She made her way to the river and followed it all the way to his house. He lived right on the water, which Piper was always jealous of. After about a half an hour of riding, she finally reached his place. A medium sized wooden cabin just on the water, with a small dock. Toren was already outside, chopping fire wood. Toren's brother fought in the war and lost his right left in combat. So even from an early age, Toren had to help with most of the manual labor. He swung his axe down and split the wood in half with one blow. He was sweaty and shirtless, and his muscles shined in the sunlight. The scars along his back were visible, but she pretended not to see them like she always did. Most girls who saw him swooned and clamored for his attention when they were near the main village, but Piper never really thought of him in that way.

She approached on horseback and her smiled and waved when he caught sight of her. She dismounted, and he came in for a hug, but Piper quickly evaded.

"Ew don't touch me you're disgusting" She complained, ducking and weaving to avoid his embrace.

"I AM disgusting but you still love me anyway so deal with it!" He laughed, finally catching her and squeezing her so hard she lost her breathe. He let her go, leaving her gasping for air and wiping her face and clothes free of sweat.

"You're a terrible person you know that?" She joked, still trying to clean herself up.

"That's why were friends though. Pretty sure me being a terrible person is what brought us together in the first place." He chuckled, wiping himself off with a nearby towel and throwing his tunic back on.

"Ain't that the truth. You remember how mad ma was when dad brought us home and showed you to her? She didn't want anything to do with you at first."

"And then I worked my charm and now I'm pretty sure she likes me more then you" Toren finished.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Piper laughed under her breath. "So, what are we going to do today? I was thinking maybe we head into the village and visit that new shop that just opened. My father said the guy who runs it looks like a bug. I gotta see that."

Toren was hesitant to answer. He looked troubled and seemed to be thinking of another solution.

"How about we go see Farores Spring?" He suggested.

"But we already saw that last week." Piper pouted, stamping her foot on the ground. "And how often does a new shop come to the village? I want to see it while its still the hot new thing!"

"You remember last time we went into town, right? I had to bail you out of that fight with those three guys you tried to wail on." Toren chimed in.

"Hey, they were asking for it! They called my mom and I names. So, I saw the only solution was to break their jaws."

"And the time before that, I had to explain to the mayor why you kicked his daughter into the river. Oh, and the time before that when I had to pull you off the butcher just because he made a comment about your hair."

"Well what was I supposed to do Toren, huh? Let them get away with all their shitty behavior? They're like that because no one stands up to them. I can't help the color of my hair or my heritage. And it doesn't give them the right to treat me the way they do. They all deserved what came to them and you know it!" Piper furrowed her brows in frustration.

"Maybe so, but every time we go to town, it just ends in me having to pull you away from some fight. You need to learn to just ignore the things those people say. They don't mean anything to you, so why should their irrelevant comments?"

Piper looked down at the dirt. She was angry, but he had a point. Ever since that day at the tavern, she always held a chip on her shoulder. Even though she knew the history of the Gerudo from her mother, she could never understand why people couldn't look past her heritage and just see her for who she actually was. Toren was the only one who had ever done that and that's why they were so close. But she wished the others could be as understanding. The dirty looks and comments drove her up the wall.

"Ok. We can just go to the spring again." She mumbled under her breath, clearly disappointed. She mounted her horse. "Ready to go?"

Toren looked up at her, closed his eyes and sighed.

"Look. Can you promise me you'll be able to control yourself this time? That I won't have to pull you off some stranger and have to explain to them why my crazy friend pounced on them?"

"I would promise but I don't like lying to you. How about I promise to try my hardest not to teach people a lesson in manners when they so clearly deserve it." Piper replied with more then a hint of sass in her voice.

Toren broke into a smirk.

"I guess that's all I can really ask the I guess. Fine, well go see this new shop. Just try not to scare him out of town. If he comments on your hair or the fact that you're a Gerudo, just try to ignore him ok? Please?"

"Ill have you know, my father made my make that same promise on the way me and you met. If I had kept that promise I wouldn't have met you. So clearly beating people up is the best way to get the good things in life, like awesome friends."

"I don't think that's the logic you should be following, dingus." Toren sighed, rubbing his eyes before getting his horse from the stable. "I can already tell this is going to end well."

"Oh, come one, you gotta have a little more faith in me then that right?" Piper exasperated, pretending to be offended.

"Whatever let's just go and see this new shop. I'm not gonna lie I'm pretty curious about it too Race you to town?"

"you're on, turd!" Piper barked, urging her horse along. And they raced towards the village.

Unbeknownst to the two young adults whose only concern is seeing what the new shop owner in town looks like, to the far north, in the depths of a harsh desert, trouble brews. A large man with tan skin and hair like fire kneels before a small tombstone of a recently dug grave. A man and two women stand behind him, silent. Its not until several minutes later, the second man breaks the silence.

"My king. I mean no disrespect, and I am reluctant to interrupt your mourning, but we have arrived at your request. How can we be of assistance?"

The kneeling man wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up, turning to the three behind him. He towered over them by at least a foot, but unlike everyone else, they did not tremble in fear at the sight of him. These were his friends, his advisors.

"Gather the leaders from each of the tribes throughout this desert. Have them gather here with their advisors at once."

"My lord, if it's acceptable to you, may I ask why?" One of the women asked.

"For too long our people have suffered here in this forsaken desert. Always at the mercy or the elements. Too many have been lost to plague and disease." He glanced back at the tiny tombstone. "No longer. I've tried for too long to reach peace with the Hylians. Each time getting spit on and looked down upon. They refuse to share their land and resources, despite the suffering our people endure."

"Are you saying what I think your saying?" The third woman asked.

"Yes. Violence seems to be the only language those animals understand. So, we shall speak it to them. We shall gather the leaders here. Tell them their king has returned. Tell them our people will suffer no longer. Tell them… were going to war."

 **End of Chapter 1**


	3. Chapter 2 - Preparations

"He really does look like a bug." Piper said trying to stifle a laugh as she and Toren peeked at the new shop owner from their outside table at the local tavern just on the other side of the street. Toren was able to pass himself off as older, so he always got drinks for himself and Piper when they came to down. It was a good way to wind down and relax.

"Why does he look like a beetle? Like, even the bag he carries looks like a bug. Think he combed his hair that way just for that purpose?" Toren asked, taking a sip of ale.

Piper eyes him through the mess of people crowding the new story. He did look funny, and she wouldn't mind getting a closer look.

"Wanna head over?" she asked, chugging the rest of her drink.

"Sure." Having already paid, the two made their way across the street, avoiding passing horses and carriages. Several of the local girls giggled as Toren passed and gave Piper the stink eye when they saw her walking with him. She stuck her tongue out at them as they passed, causing them to be thrown into a fit of rage, which she found absolutely hilarious.

They made their way through the crowd to try to see the man better. Piper heard a few grumbles about her hair or her race whenever she accidentally bumped into someone, but no one really made a huge fuss about it, so she let it go. When they finally made their way to the front, they could see the man showing off some of his wares to the crowd.

"And here we have the sturdy metal shield, perfect for any traveler who wishes to venture to dangerous new places." His voice was high and nasally. Like he had a runny nose that he was trying to hold back whenever he spoke. "Not only that, but here at Beedle's Outpost, I also provide several different potions to help increase your strength or energy! Have trouble falling asleep or staying awake? I have an elixir for either problem. And last but not le-" The mean stopped short when Piper reached the front of the crowd. His eyes widened, and he looked out of breath.

"Here we go again." Piper thought to herself rolling her eyes. Figured this guy would be just like everyone else.

"Miss are you… are you in fact a Gerudo?" He asked, clasping his hands together.

"Half." Piper admitted begrudgingly. 'But look mister, that's no reason to-"

"OOOOHHHHH HOW WONDERFUL!" The man shrieked, clapping his hands and jumping up and down.

"I beg your pardon?" Piper asked, admittedly confused by his reaction. She turned to look at Toren, who just shrugged in response.

"Its oh so very rare that I meet a Gerudo in these parts, even just a half Gerudo like yourself! Your culture and delicacies are so hard to come by!" The crowd around him look just as confused as Piper felt. No one had ever been this nice to her in town like this man was. "I hope its not too much to ask, but well, would you happen to have anything from your hometown or culture I could buy? I admire the Gerudo and will pay a hefty price for anything you have to offer. Perhaps you may even have a Gerudo Dragonfly in your possession?"

"I… I'm from Ordon mister. I wish I could sell you something, but I don't have anything else that the rest of these folks don't have." She rubbed the back of her head, blushing slightly now that everyone's eyes were on her.

"Oh… That's too bad." Beedle looked visibly upset. But his frown soon turned back into a wide grin. "Well no matter no matter! Here, you look tough as nails, and I can see in your eyes that you lust for adventure. Take this shield!" Beedle thrust the shield into Pipers arms, much to her surprise.

"Uh... um… I'm sorry sir but I don't have any way to pay for this." She heard Toren holding back a laugh from behind her. She reached back and kicked him in the shins.

"Not to worry miss, its on the house! Think of it as a gift! The only payment I shall require is that you think of Beedle next time you're out on a grand adventure and bring him back something from your culture and heritage, yes?" His eyes were wide with hope that she would accept.

"Okay, okay!" She laughed, putting the shield on her arm, smiling widely. The crowd behind her were all mumbling under their breath, unsure of how to feel about what they were seeing. "Thank you, sir, I'll definitely do my best to bring you back something that I hope you'll like."

"Oh THAAAANK YOUUUU!" Beedle threw his hands up in their air, releasing some confetti, making the crowd laugh. And just like that, the crowd once again surged his stand and Toren pulled Piper to safety.

"Well that was different." Toren exclaimed.

"I like him! Let's come back more often!" Piper smiled, lifting and feeling the weight and balance of the shield. She looked up and saw the sun starting to dip below the horizon. "Oh shit! Toren we need to get home! I'm gonna be late for my lesson!"

"Alright, alright calm down. Give me that shield. Ill take it home and wash it and give it to you tomorrow. You can ride faster without it."

Piper obliged and handed the shield to him. She ran back to where their horses were tied up, but not before giving Toren her routine goodbye hug. She hopped on her horse and rode as quick as she could back to the farm. She reached the house just as the last ray of light vanished over the mountain. She quickly dismounted and ran inside.

"I'm here I'm here!" She panted, collapsing into a chair at the table where they usually had their lessons. Her mother was sitting there waiting, with her father standing just behind.

"Glad you were able to join is Piper, you look exhausted."

"Yeah it's a long story. But it can wait until after our lesson. So, what's on the menu today hm? More language lessons? History? Geography?" She asked excitedly.

"Well, none of those." Kishava replied, smiling slightly.

"Wait what do you mean?" Piper asked, concerned. Was her mother cancelling her lessons?

"Do you want to tell her or should I?" Kishava asked Ponthos.

"I always say these lessons as your guys' thing. I think you should be the one to tell her." He replied.

"Tell me what!?" Piper demanded, standing up and slamming her hands on the table.

"Our lessons are over Piper. There's no more that I can teach you. You know the language. You know the landscape, and you know as much of our people's history as I do."

"Then why did you tell me to come back tonight then? You said we had a lesson!"

"All my lessons have been leading to this Piper. There's nothing more for me to teach you here in Ordon. The last lesson you'll receive will be taught to you on the way." Kishava remarked.

"On the way to where!?" Piper was getting fed up with not getting a clear answer.

"To the desert. To our people's ancestral home. I didn't think you were ready. And for a long time, you weren't. But you're 18 now. You've learned the language and you now everything there is to know about it. All that's left now is to see it and experience it for yourself. Just like I did at your age."

"Wait a minute, so you're actually saying…"

"That's right." Her father said from behind. He pulled out a large pack, equipped with food, a canteen, and several other sorts of supplies for a long journey. "Your mother and I have been preparing this for you for a few weeks now. Everything you should need is inside. You're finally getting that adventure you wanted"

"EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" Piper relinquished all efforts to hide her excitement and joy. She leapt over the table to embrace her mother and leapt back across the do the same to her father. She couldn't believe it! Finally! She was going on her very own adventure, all by herself!

"Thank you so much!" She squealed.

"There's one more thing I want you to have too Piper." Her mother interrupted her celebration. She pulled out a long object wrapped in a dull gray cloth. It didn't look like anything impressive. But when Kishava unwrapped it, Pipers eyes widened as a shining gold handle was revealed, with a colorful sheath.

"A scimitar" Piper awed in amazement.

"It's the chosen weapon of the Gerudo. I know your father has taught you all he knows in the ways of the sword. So, I know you'll use it well. Take good care of it. It was my mothers, and her mothers before her. And now I'm giving it to you. Its dangerous to go alone, so you should take this with you, for protection."

"Woah… its beautiful. Thank you." Piper took the blade in her hand and unsheathed it. In its reflective surface she could see her own bright green eyes staring back at her.

"When am I allowed to set out?" She asked eagerly.

"Whenever you want after the sun rises tomorrow." Her father replied, setting her pack by the door.

Piper wasted no time. She grabbed both her parents and embraced them once more, before dashing upstairs. The sooner she got to bed and slept, the sooner she could wake up and begin her journey! But she wondered as she was slipping off her tunic and hopping into bed, would she even be able to sleep? She was so excited and giddy, sleep seemed almost impossible right now. She closed her eyes, tossing and turning, trying to find sleep. All the while, a smile never left her face.

"My lord Ganondorf. They're all here."

"Thank you Kalani, Ill be with you all shortly."

The woman bowed and exited the room. Ganondorf looked at himself in the dirty mirror in front of him. The elders had all arrived. This was the moment. If he didn't sell his idea to them now, all hope would be gone. He sighed and stood up straight, putting on the most confident face he could muster. He left his room and walked down the long corridor leading to the Council Chamber. The walls of the Gerudo Fortress were scarred from past battles, but it had always held up against invaders, whether it be monsters, Hylians, or other Gerudo tribes. It was a monument to Gerudo strength, so it was the perfect place to pitch his plans.

He reached the double doors of the Council Chamber and swung them open, making sure to make his presence known immediately. At once, the seven elders and their advisors stood at attention. None of them moved until Ganondorf reached his spot at the head of the long table they all stood around. Once he was seated, the rest followed suit.

"Welcome, my friends. I know it has been some time since we have seen each other." His voice boomed throughout the room.

"The honor is ours King Ganondorf. But we have been wondering, what is the nature of this summoning? What could be so urgent, you would have us travel day and night to assemble to quickly?" One of the elders asked.

"I'm not going to waste any time here. Ill cut right to the chase. I visited Hyrule yet again. And just like before, I was looked down on and mocked by the Royal Family. I asked for peace between our people, and a compromise that would allow both of our races to live in the lush fields and forests of Hyrule. I was of course denied."

There was murmuring among the elders.

"Typical Hylians. What else should we have expected?"

"This trip was eye opening however. It has bee made clear that peace talks with the Hylians will get us nowhere. There is only one solution to our current predicament, and we all know what it is."

The room suddenly felt very tense and uneasy. It was obvious the others knew what Ganondorf was talking about. And none of them liked the idea.

"My king. What you're talking about, its impossible. The Gerudo have never marched on the Hylians in the entirety of recorded history. They outnumber us 1,000 to 1. War with them is suicide."

"I agree, we would be decimated. Our best hope for survival is to stay here, where it's safe."

Ganondorf sighed.

"You all chose me to be your king, did you not? Out of all the contenders for the throne, you all chose me. Correct me if I'm wrong?" Nobody said a word. "Was it not I who brought our warring clans together for the first time in generations? Was it not I who helped rebuild our broken civilization from the ground up? Was it not I who continuously traveled to Hyrule in hopes of leading our people towards a better future?"

"Its was…" A woman from the far end of the table chimed in.

"You trusted me to lead you then to bring peace and prosperity to our land. Trust me now."

"You would lead our people to war to get crushed by a mightier force just for the grand illusion of peace with the Hylians? Only a fool would think it possible!"

The room suddenly erupted into a mess of arguments and shouting. Some elders agreed with the statement, while others backed Ganondorf's plan. The shouting when on for a minute or so when Ganondorf had had enough. He slammed his hand on the table so hard it cracked, causing everyone to jump and quiet down.

"My daughter passed the other night. Did any of you know that?" He asked. The room was deathly quiet. "She caught a sickness and died in her sleep. And I wasn't even here to see her off. I was in Hyrule, getting ridiculed and pushed down trying to fight for your rights and the rights if all our people to live free, healthy lives. If we do nothing, and sit here as we always have, shell just continue to be one of many. But if we act now, we can make sure no one else has to suffer the same fate. That future generations don't have to be afraid of the very air they breathe and the place they call home. Even now there are some Gerudo who managed to escape the desert and find peace and seclusion in Hyrule. But with the Royal Family promoting Hylian-on-Gerudo violence, soon even they will be at risk. We're not just going to be fighting for our own freedom. Were going to be fighting so that they can keep theirs."

"But Ganondorf, those are just a few Gerudo. Its easy to glance over them. But you're suggesting full out war and migration. Our entire race would have to leave this desert and they would never allow that."

"It's been done before. A long time ago, a man bearing my own name lead the Gerudo out of this desert. His story has been lost to legends, but I know it to be true. But his heart was corrupted and instead of peace, he led his people to destruction and we were almost wiped out. If we can maintain our composure and our resolve throughout this noble campaign, we can avoid the mistakes of our ancestors, and we can fight the good fight, and come out victorious."

Ganondorf could start to hear murmurs of approval throughout the room. He knew he had them hooked. This could work!

"Will you fight with me friends? Will you stand with me and fight for our people? For prosperity and peace?"

The elders stood up one by one, each one nodding approvingly.

"By this time next week, we shall call each and every Gerudo warrior here to this fortress, this symbol of our strength and unity. And together as one single tribe, we shall march on Hyrule and claim what is rightfully ours!"

 **End of Chapter 2**


	4. Chapter 3 - Setting Out

Pipers eyes shot open and she leapt out of bed. Today was the day! She didn't bother getting dressed. She had slept in her clothes and was ready to go as soon as she woke up. Her hair was a tangled mess, but she quickly combed it back and pulled it into its usual ponytail. The bag her parents prepared for her was still sitting by the front door when she ran downstairs. Her mother and father were already sitting downstairs at the table eating their usual breakfast, with a plate already set aside for her.

She slammed down into the chair and began to inhale her food. Within seconds her entire plate was sitting comfortably in her stomach, much to the wide-eyed concern of her parents.

"I'm off now!" She shouted, running for the door, before she was stopped by her father.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked her, hiding a smile.

Piper had to sit and think for a minute, but she couldn't imagine what he was talking about.

"Well first off, you forgot to say goodbye to me and your mother."

Oh, shoot that's right! She vaulted over the table to tackle hug her mother, then ran around again to do the same to her father. Once she said her goodbyes so reached for the door.

"Piper!"

She turned again, eager to leave and borderline irritated as to why she wasn't allowed to leave.

"You forgot your bag." Kishava said, hoisting it up. Piper blushed with embarrassment and grabbed the bag from her mother, who kissed her atop her head. This time she headed out without delay. She opened the door and swung her bag atop her horse and hopped on. She gave one last look and a wave to her parents, who were waving goodbye from the doorway, then spurred her horse along down the road.

Her adventure had finally begun.

She trotted down the dirt road and headed east towards the Ordon Pass. That would lead her out into Hyrule where she could then head north to the desert. Her mother had packed a map just incase she got lost, but Piper had spent years learning the terrain and geography of both Hyrule and the Gerudo Desert. She knew exactly where she was going.

But still, as she made her way farther and farther away from home, she got the feeling she was forgetting something. She checked her back and she had food, water, bedding, survival supplies, a map. Her new scimitar was strapped to her side. What was she forgetting?

Then I occurred to her. She came to a fork in the road an instead of heading to the right like she should have, she made a left and headed towards the river. She felt so silly she almost forgot. She reached Toren's house and as usual, he was outside doing manual labor. He looked up to see her happily approaching and raised and eyebrow in suspicion.

"Well hello there sir! Are you ready for an adventure!?" She boomed form atop her horse.

Toren looked confused and asked what she meant. She explained everything she had been told and showed off her gear and knew weapon. Toren naturally was impressed by the new blade. But after his excitement wore off, reality set in.

"Piper, I can't just up and leave home. My brother, he can't work the field and do the hard labor anymore. If I leave how is anything going to get done?"

"But all we've talked about for years is going on an adventure together. And now we finally have that chance and you're gonna say no?" Piper was visibly upset.

"You know I want to. But I just can't. Running off to the forest for a day is different then leaving Ordon entirely. Who knows how long well be gone. It just won't work."

Piper was defeated. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was looking forward to this for so long, and now she was going to have to leave without her best friend. Suddenly, the thought of adventure didn't fill her with as much excitement anymore.

"What's this talk of an adventure I'm hearing?" spoke up a voice from behind him. Piper looked up and Toren turned to see a middle-aged woman exiting the house and making their way towards them. It was Toren's sister-in-law, Sabeth. "You two are yelling up quite a storm out here. Especially you Piper. Nice to see you again."

Piper said hello and quickly filled her in on what was happening and where she was going. The entire time, Sabeth just nodded silently, until Piper was finished.

"Well," She started. "Sounds like quite a time. I don't see any reason for you not to go with her Toren"

"Wait really? Beth, you know I can't just leave, despite how much I want to. Who's going to do the work around here? My brother will kill me!"

"Ill do the work from now on. It'll be hard, but I know you two have been wanting to do something like this for a long time. I'm not going to let something as trivial as chores keep you from seeing the world. That's just silly. And don't worry about your brother. The guy has one leg. What's he going to do, run after you?" She laughed.

Toren and Piper looked at each other, excitement in their eyes.

"Well what are you waiting for? Go get your stuff! I know you have a bag prepacked in your closet. Hurry up now don't keep Piper waiting." Toren nodded and ran back to the house, throwing his shirt back on and was about to head inside to get his pack when Sabeth stopped him one more time.

"On your way out, go ahead and grab your brothers armor from his private chest! I love the man but he's wasting that armor keeping it locked up. And you'll need it on your journey"

Within minutes Toren was fully dressed, with a pack slung over his shoulder. He also now was sporting an Ordonian armor chest piece, and greaves back from when his brother fought in the Ordonian army. He was also carrying the metal shield that Beedle had given them yesterday. He handed it up to Piper before mounting his own horse.

"Well, be good and stay safe you two. I expect you both to return safe and sound. I don't want to be doing this work forever you know." She waved goodbye as the two set off down the trail. Now that Toren was with her, the adventure could finally begin.

They made their way east, and entered the Ordon Pass, a narrow valley between the mountain ranges separating Ordon from Hyrule. They acted as a natural barrier against invasions and were instrumental in winning the war that won them their independence. The two made excited small talk a majority of the way. But when Toren asked them what their game plan was, Piper reassured him that once they got to Ethereals Tavern and Inn, they could figure out exactly what they were going to do.

"You actually want to go back there?" He asked. "Remember what happened last time?"

"I do. But Ethereal is an old friend of the family. And his Inn is the last one for quite some time, so it will be a good place to gather our strength before heading out on the real part of this adventure. And besides, we were kids last time we were here. We can handle ourselves now." She reassured him.

A couple days later they had finally reached the edge of the massive forest of Ordon, and the trees were loosely scattered. Up ahead, Piper could see the edge of town that she had visited so many years ago. The duo strolled into down, looking at the old buildings and structures. They neared the middle of town, and Piper recognized the same statue of the Hero from last time. It looked a little worse for wear and looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a while. But it was still standing, and that's what mattered.

Piper spotted the familiar building with the familiar sign hanging above its door. She and Toren dismounted their horses and tired them up outside before heading in. The place looked about the same, with a half full bar, and low lighting making it a pretty relaxing scene. Piper looked over at the bar to see if Ethereal was bartending, but unfortunately it was some girl she didn't recognize.

She was about to sit down, when she spotted a familiar face near the back of the bar.

"Hey, go ahead and find us a table over there, ill be right back." She told Toren. He obliged and headed off to find a table while she walked over to the familiar looking man. His hair was grayer, and he had more wrinkles, but there was no mistaking his identity. She approached his table, where he was still laughing with his gang of buddies and stood there. It took a couple seconds for them to realize she was there. Most of them were pretty hammered. The man looked up at her and without saying a word, Piper reached out and shoved him down deeper into his seat.

"Hey what the-"

"Watch it mister. That's pretty rude you know." Piper cut him off.

'What are you talking about?" The man barked back, trying to get up. But Piper pushed him down again.

"You better get keep that animal on a leash and stay out of my way." She continued, seeing if he would remember.

"Listen you little b-"

"What are you gonna do huh? Ya know most people wouldn't think its right to beat a child, but for Gerudo scum like me, I don't think anyone will cause a fuss." Piper furrowed her brows as a look of recognition spread across his face, followed by a sadistic smile.

"I remember you now you little cretin. Its been awhile, but you came back for more huh? You got a death wish?"

"Do you?" Piper cut back, hand on her blade, trembling with anticipation.

"Your people never learn!" The man said, drawing two knives and lunching at her. She easy dodged out of the way. The man was older and slower the before, and she was quicker and more skilled then when she was a kid. She drew her blade and slammed the flat side of it into his face. She heard a loud crack of what she could only assume was his nose breaking. She yelped with pain and fell backwards. On the other side of the bar, Toren was seeing the commotion and was quickly making his way over. But she didn't need his help. Not this time.

The man lunged again as his friends simply laughed from their booth. Piper parried his attack and sent his knife flying, almost hitting another patron in the bar. She grabbed his arm as he attempted to stab her in the gut and twisted with all her might. He let go of his knife and was now left defenseless. She rammed her shoulder into him, sending him tumbling to the ground. As he was down, she stomped down hard on his already broken nose, making him cry out. She kicked him in the stomach and ribs as he lay there defenseless. It wasn't until Toren grabbed ahold of her and pulled her away that she stopped.

The man lay in the ground, nearly motionless.

"That's what payback tastes like, asshole. Now get out of here." Piper demanded, feeling on top of the world. She looked around expecting to see happy faces, but instead all she saw were looks of horror and anger. Several patrons stood up, giving her a death glare, and two guards suddenly burst into the room after hearing all the commotion.

"What's going on here? That's the meaning of this?" They demanded, barking orders at the customers to back away.

"Uh… I…" Piper stammered. Oh, crap she was in serious trouble. How was she supposed to explain this to the guards?

"She was just helping me kick this unruly customer out of my bar." Shouted a voice from the back room. Everyone turned and Ethereal was leaving his back room and approaching the scene.

"Sir, is this Gerudo bothering you? We can escort her out immediately just give us the word." The guard asked, readying himself to pounce.

"That won't be necessary. These two are close friends. She was helping me keep this place orderly. Isn't the right Piper?" She asked, glaring at her.

"That's… That's right!" She stammered nervously.

"Alright. Well take it from here. Grab that man and get him out of here." Said the second guard. The pulled the still whimpering man from the ground and dragged him outside. The tavern customers simply sat down and went back to their drinks.

After the dust settled, Ethereal called Toren and Piper over to the back room. Once the door was shut, she gave Piper and huge bear hug and Toren a firm handshake.

"Well, you two have definitely grown. Although I wasn't expecting you and your father for some time Piper. Still causing trouble as always."

"Were not here with my father. Were here alone."

"Oh?"

"Its sort of a long story. Mind if we have a seat and we can tell you over a drink?" Piper suggested.

Ethereal raised an eyebrow. "Piper you and I both know you're not old enough to drink." She said with a serious face, before breaking into a slight smirk. "But I think just this once we can make an exception. Ill get us drinks, and then you can explain to me while you're breaking my customers faces.

"Deal" Piper smiled.

Ganondorf walked along the battlements of the Gerudo Fortress. It had only been a couple days since his meeting with the elders, and already most of them had gather their tribe's warriors and met here at the fortress. He was surprised at their quickness in assembling. He must have really persuaded them, because they had to have rode day and night to get here so fast. Even though only about 3/4ths of the Gerudo tribes had assembled so far, their numbers were far greater then Ganondorf had predicted. In the parade grounds below him, and past it into the open areas beyond the fortress, the area was littered with tents and the sounds of troop movements and weapons being made willed the air.

Ganondorf looked down at his new army and knew that the time of revolution was at hand. He smiled to himself, now more confident then ever in his plan. Once the rest had gathered here, they could march on Hyrule. Their first target would be Fort Ibara, a scarcely manned outpost meant to defend against Gerudo raids. But the fools had no idea what was coming. He almost pitied them.

But then his memories floated back to his daughter, and her tiny, tiny grave, and the pity disappeared. He was reinvigorated with confidence and determination to take the land the should have belonged to everyone, but that the Hylians kept for themselves.

It was almost time for war.

 **End of Chapter 3**


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